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April 2004 indexWe asked Crosslinks Regional Team Leader Alan Purser to outline the work of his team. This is what he told us:
“The Regional Team exists to serve the churches, helping them fulfil their God-given obligation to be actively engaged in bringing the Gospel of salvation “to the ends of the earth”. We recognise the difficulties many churches find in building and sustaining involvement in world-wide mission. So we’re committed to working in partnership with them to foster a biblical understanding of mission and assist the development of their mission support. We hope this will result in significant encouragement for Gospel work both at home and abroad, so that a partnership with Crosslinks benefits both the sponsored work and sponsoring church.”
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Here are just some of the stories of the work from the Regional Coordinators and All-Ireland team Jonathan recently helped a married couple preparing to move overseas as Crosslinks mission partners to a country in Northern Africa where there is growing Muslim influence, alongside traditional idol and ancestor worship. He was involved in arranging speaking engagements and building support all the way through to their commissioning service. Jonathan tells of one village church where “The vicar invited me to preach and a church member agreed to handle the prayer letters etc. I arranged for the couple to meet the congregation and do a presentation, and this led to the PCC agreeing support of £1,500. Previous giving to Crosslinks since 1987 was around £300–£400, so this was quite step forward for them.” Udobata Onunwa - North-West Udobata observes: “I have records of local churches who have century-old relationships with churches in Africa and Asia.” But for many, “They saw themselves as detached and distant supporters.” In his view “Stakeholder makes the church no longer a casual benefactor. Instead it can now share and participate fully with God like a shareholder in His mission enterprise.” Udobata sees another benefit: ”Stakeholder confirms the idea that you can live locally but think and act globally in mission.” Of his own role, he says: “I serve as liaison, motivator, enabler, and sometimes as consultant – especially helping the local church decide on which aspect of mission it should buy into.” John Price - Midlands/North East John echoes this role of motivator and enabler: “My goal is to enthuse churches and individuals to share in ‘partnerships in the Gospel’ for world mission.” He sees Stakeholder as offering “a range of opportunities for churches in fulfilling the command of Jesus to take God’s Word beyond the parish boundary to God’s world.” John also sees mission links as very much a two-way process, benefiting both parties. “This month’s magazine shows how forging a relationship between my own parish in Peterborough with mission partners in South Africa promotes and encourages Gospel work in both places.” Melanie Lacy - All-Ireland Team Leader The All-Ireland team aims to help establish and strengthen partnerships between local churches and the worldwide church. “We start early!” say Mel “During the summer holidays we run camps for children and teenagers, who enjoy a week together studying the Bible and learning about mission situations around the world. Our monthly meetings for young people include information and interviews with mission partners, as well as Bible teaching. The regional area committees support their churches through visits and also organising larger events, which provide excellent opportunities to inform and challenge about personal involvement and commitment in mission. This year we have run a new venture: six weeks of lectures in two different centres in Northern Ireland called Mission; why bother! – exploring the biblical theology of mission.”
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